Apparently, Lots of Vancouverites Are Buying Chocolate-Covered Strawberries for Themselves

When I think of chocolate-covered strawberries, I think of occasion—Valentine’s Day, anniversaries and the like. A simple-yet-elegant treat that you buy as a gift, in honour of a special event. But it seems I’ve been doing it all wrong. Because according to Nicole Lorenzana, many Vancouverites are buying chocolate-dipped strawberries for no reason at all, and for no one but themselves. 

Lorenzana opened La Fraise Rose in Olympic Village earlier this fall. She calls it “Vancouver’s first chocolate-covered strawberry store” because they operate year-round and focus specifically on that product, unlike other places that offer chocolate-dipped strawberries seasonally or alongside a bunch of other treats. She started La Fraise Rose as an at-home side hustle while she was attending school, but eventually quit school and turned all of her attention to the strawbs. Steady business allowed her to open the brick-and-mortar location—and that steady business is, in part, due to customers buying the product as a personal little gift. 

“Honestly, a lot of people come in to just buy them for themselves—they like the taste and want to treat themselves,” says Lorenzana. She says that solo strawberry-dippers are more popular in-store than those buying for other people. La Fraise Rose’s chocolate strawberry boxes ($39 each) go way beyond the basic: the “More Matcha” box, for example, coats strawberries in matcha powder-infused white chocolate, candied pomelo, green tea Kit Kat and green tea Pocky. The “Classic Pink” box features edible gold, candied fruit and raspberries. The store also sells some pretty beautiful fresh and dried flowers.

And while I joke about the bizarre concept of buying something so elegant for yourself, I also have to admit it sounds pretty awesome. Who needs an occasion? If this is my sign to buy a box of chocolate-covered strawberries just for getting out of bed today, I’ll take it. I earned it.